The good news is that water softeners are much easier to troubleshoot than they used to be, and while water softener repair can be challenging, with the right kind of knowledge, you can fix even the most common issues when your water softener is not working and get it back up and running in no time.

We know all about the most common issue with water softeners. With so much humidity in the air when you put too much salt in the brine tank, salt will get hard and caked together. The Water Softener unit will regenerate and wash the salt out of the bottom of the tank during cycle. The salt above the water line has gotten hard and caked together so, it will not fall to the bottom of the tank. You can kick on the bottom of tank and you will actually hear it is hollow and you will have to break up the salt and make it fall to the bottom.

Remember a lot of brine tank have a plastic plate at the bottom. It is about 6 inches from the bottom so, do not poke the broomstick to the bottom of tank or you will damage this plate. Use a broomstick or something try to break up the salt, if it is not breaking up get a pitcher of very hot water, and pour on the inside of the tank around the edges and then tap around the edges of tank. You will see it fall to the bottom. Some people give the brine tank one swift kick and they will see fall to the bottom. If you need more help there is videos on You Tube “How to break up a salt bridge”.

The Water Softener unit needs brine water “Salty Water” to wash the resin during regeneration to make the calcium let go of the resin bead so it can be washed down the drain at the water softener. So, if there is no salt at the bottom of tank to dissolve it will not have brine water, just plain water. This is because plain water does nothing to remove the calcium from the beads so, it will regenerate but the calcium will not let go of the beads. When it finishes regenerating the water starts to pass by the beads but have no place to stick to the beads because they are full of calcium so, the calcium comes into the house and you have hard water.

If you find a salt bridge, break it up then you need to do a manual regeneration cycle. Bur remember it takes salty water brine water. The salt and water need to sit for a while about 4 hours, it will regenerate the cold water will be soft. If you had hard water for a few days the hot water will take a few days.

If you find no salt bridge you will need to have your system looked at. Simple Water Softeners repairs many brands just give us a call (210) 960-2555 we will see if we can help you out.

If you live in an area with hard water like San Antonio, Texas, using hard water to wash your clothes, bathe, or cook can leave you with build-up of soap residue and mineral deposits on your skin, hair, and clothing. A water softener can help you prevent this buildup, which is why water softeners are so common in areas with hard water and become even more popular during the cold winter months when everything seems to be covered in a layer of ice and snow! Here’s how a water softener helps with hard water from Hill Country Water Softeners of San Antonio, Texas.

7 Benefits of Having a Water Softener

1. Installing a Water Softener with a Whole House filter.

While most people think of hard water as being unsightly, it is actually more than just an annoyance. It can cause problems for your plumbing and your home in general. If you’re tired of dealing with hard water, there are solutions for it—and one of them is installing a whole-house water softener system. This system can make drinking healthier, better tasting water easy. Here’s how to get started

2. Saving Money on Your Electric Bill

While a little bit of hard water isn’t necessarily harmful, San Antonio and surrounding areas the hardness is too high. Without a water softener the calcium will build up quickly in your hot water heater. It will take about 24% more energy for your hot water heater to function. It will also shorten the life of the hot water heater greatly. You will void your warranty if you own a tank less in our area if you do not have a water softener.

3. Showering in Clean Chemical Free Water

The city adds chlorine, chloramine or chloride to your water to kill bacteria while it is in route to your house. There is also herbicides, pesticides, and organics in your water.  Water Softener will remove the hardness of the water by changing salt into sodium chloride, which removes excess minerals and chemicals from you shower water. Making soft water come into the house.

The Whole House Filter will remove the chlorine, chloramine, chloride, pesticides, herbicides and organics. About 80 contaminants from your water. This process ensures that you don’t have hard water or that you have the chemicals on your skin or in your lungs. Skin irritation for those sensitive to chemicals (e.g., eczema). A water softener and whole house will remove what is irritating your skin. Hardness that dries you out and the chemicals that are inflaming your condition. keeps you from scratching away at rashes.

4. Cleaner Laundry (Reduced Chlorine Stains)

One of the biggest issues caused by hard water is that it can leave behind mineral deposits in your laundry. These deposits make your whites look dingy and yellow, stiff and they will fade quicker. A water softener removes these excess minerals from your water supply, which helps your expensive clothing, linens etc. stay brighter, softer, and last longer.

5. Clearer Skin and Hair

With its drying effects, hard water can have an adverse effect on your skin and hair. People living in areas where there is hard water use up to twice as much shampoo and conditioner just to keep their hair looking good—not to mention regular visits to dermatologists because of skin issues related to hard water. With your new water softener, you’ll be able to finally get rid of those dull locks and dry patches on your face.

6. Reducing Mineral Build Up

The presence of mineral deposits in your home’s water can cause white residue to appear on shower glass, faucets, dishes and hard water stains in the toilettes. The minerals build up in all appliances that use water. Hot water heaters are very affected by hard water build up. (No water softener in San Antoni and surrounding areas you should drain hot water heater every six months). The washing machine, dishwashers, steam irons, and yes those expensive coffee pots without removing the excessive hard water minerals in San Antonio you are shortening the life of all. With a water softener the calcium and magnesium are removed from your household’s tap water supply. Everything in the house is protected.

7. Keeping Plumbing Pipes Free from White Deposits

Your hard water can be damaging to your pipes. If you have any white deposits on your showerhead, faucets or drain pipes, that’s an indication of how much sediment is building up in your water supply. Prevent these deposits by installing a water softener system; you’ll enjoy cleaner, clearer and more pleasing-to-the-eye water.

For more information about our Water Softeners and Whole House Filter please call Lisa at (210) 960-2555.

This is a common question, all water softeners will work off either one. Salt and potassium used to be close in cost but that is not the case anymore. There is a large price difference in them anymore for example Salt prices is average $6 and Potassium is $23. Water Softener system will use the same amount with salt or potassium so most people use salt.

People who are on very low sodium diets need to contact their doctor to find out what is best for them. If it is too much sodium for their health, then the option is to have a reverse osmosis system that will remove 97.5% of the sodium in the water. It is more economical to maintain the reverse osmosis than regenerating with potassium. Most people on city water with city sewage do use salt on the other hand Potassium will help our environment.

People who have septic tanks may also consider using potassium. Look into where the drain is going from the water softener. Some builders will drain to the ground somewhere. Other builders drain to the septic tank. Newer septic tanks have a fourth chamber just for the water softener. If it is lateral find out where the lateral lines are.

High content of sodium is not good for vegetation. If you have an aerobic system that will be spaying out from your septic to protect your vegetation and some trees you may consider using potassium. You have to try and see what works for you. Some people who have a large area will consider using salt and drain the water softener off to a specific area and make a rock garden where they can contain the salt in one specific area. Talk to your septic tank people and discuss your options. It seems there is no set rules each septic tank company will have their own views.

This will be decisions you will need to make for yourself each situation will bring its own special issues. 

If you have questions, don’t hesitate to contact us at Simple Water Softeners. You can call (210) 960-2555 or use this contact us form.

We all have an insurance, from Health, Auto, Home, right? so, make sure to have it for all the appliances that use water in your house and everything that the water touches in your home if you don’t have a good Water Softener. In San Antonio and surrounding areas, a home without a softener will suffer the ugly consequences. A Water Softener is one of the most important appliances you will own, it is like an insurance policy for everything dealing with water in your house.

A good water softener protects the plumbing in your house and keeps the pipes from becoming full of limestone. The first appliance the water softener protects is the hot water heater. An average cost for a hot water heater is $1,800 not to mention you may end up with a cold shower. Have no water softener with the water as hard as it is in San Antonio you will need to drain your hot water heater at least twice a year. If you have a tankless make sure you read your warranty since most companies void your warranty if the water is more than 10.5 grains hard if there is no softener. Your hot water heater uses approximately 25% more electricity when there is no softener.

The expensive appliances that we all buy today like the upgraded washing machines, refrigerators, dishwashers, coffee machines and steam machines all have a longer life with a water softener and work more efficiently. Even the bathrooms with the expensive faucets, shower doors, upgraded vanities keep their spa quality looks. Clothes, linens, and towels are also expensive and you want to keep them looking newer brighter and softer for a longer time period.

Hair, skin and laundry are so much better with a water softener, your kids will have bubbles and more bubbles and there is significant savings in soaps and cleaning products. Many people buys a low-grade water softener or something that works intermittently. More over people think because the unit is using salt it is working and is Not always true. Buy a water softener that has quality parts and you will be problem free for many years, also look for water Softeners with quality parts can be repaired. Quality water softeners set up correctly and sized properly will be much more cost efficient over the years.

With the right water softener you are protecting more than you could think, so give us a call and let us help to protect and preserve what you have worked so hard for. At Simple Water Softeners we feel everyone in San Antonio and surrounding areas should have a quality softener with the substantial savings. We offer our customers the most affordable water softener in San Antonio. Give us a call today at (210) 960-2555.

It is important to know how to by-pass your water softener and everybody should know this. There are several different by-pass valves. Some you must push something, others you turn knobs. It is very important for you to figure this out before you have an emergency and realize you do not know how to do it.

The Clack valve comes with a high quality easy to use by-pass, two red handles on the back of unit.

• When they are straight with the lines they are in service.

Unit in service

• When they are sideways with the lines it is on by-pass.

Unit on by-pass

The red handles have a more pointy end to the handles, so when they are pointing towards each other the unit is by-passed. When unit is by-passed, the water is no longer going through the system and the water is coming straight from the meter. So, if you have any issues with the water softener you can by-pass it.

If you have a white by-pass you are to push in the by-pass. Others have a solid black one with two dials, you turn  both a quarter turn and it will by-pass. The units will say by-pass and arrow will dedicate direction to turn.

If you want to know more about Water Softener By-pass, don’t hesitate to contact us at Simple Water Softeners. You can call Lisa (210) 960 2555.

Do you live in San Antonio?. Save your hot water heater, the average replacement of a hot water heater is $2,000.

With the hard water in San Antonio (average is 18 GPG) you are shortening the life of your hot water heater by 30% if you don’t have water softener. If you have a hot water heater with a tank and have no water softener you should be draining the hot water heater every 6 months to maintain it to its optimal potential.

When scale builds up in the hot water heater it takes 30% more energy to heat the water. Your heating elements must work so much harder when they are caked in calcium.

If you have a tankless system, read your warranty, when your water is harder than 10 to 11 you void your warranty.

It’s best to have a qualified and trusted water softener professional help with your water softener needs and Simple Water Softeners Co. will gladly be of assistance. If you want more information please give us a call at (210) 960-2555 or email us at lisa@simplewatersofteners.com.

Water containing excessive amounts of dissolved calcium, magnesium, iron, and other compounds is called hard water. While it isn’t harmful to consume, and most people can use it safely for everyday tasks like cooking or bathing, it does cause several problems. Simple Water Softeners has worked in this industry for a long time and has seen the impact of hard water. Here’s a look at the issues it can cause: 

1. Hard Water Deposits

Hard water spots and film will build up very quickly in San Antonio and surrounding areas. The shower doors, dishwasher, dishes will begin to develop a white film, Faucets, showerheads will actually become clogged up.

2. Unpleasant Taste

Hard water doesn’t taste as refreshing and clean as its counterpart. You can taste the chlorine and other substances in the water if it isn’t purified through a carbon filter. Hard water also has a sharp metallic taste due to all of the metal compounds present in it. Substances like mercury, copper, iron, lead, and even arsenic can ruin the water’s taste enough to make the drinking experience unpleasant and alter the taste of your meals.

3. Problems with Laundry

Washing clothes with hard water can be difficult. Most detergents don’t dissolve entirely or lather well in this water, which means they don’t penetrate the clothes sufficiently to remove stains or odors. Hard water also leaves behind patches and white stains on clothes that can compromise their appearance significantly.

4. Washing Dishes

Washing dishes can also be challenging if your home receives hard water. Dishwashing soaps don’t react well to the compound, and the cleaning is less efficient. You will also notice some patches and stains on the utensils even after they have been rinsed well. This can ruin your more delicate ceramics and dishes.

5. Bathroom and Toilet Fixtures

Hard water causes damage to the bathroom and toilet fixtures like bathtubs, sinks, showerheads, and commodes. It can leave limescale deposits on the fixtures, which can be difficult to clean and even cause damage over the long term. People that have hard water in their homes are forced to replace their fixtures more often.

6. Plumbing Issues

Limescale can also build up in faucets, pipelines, drains, and other such plumbing fixtures. That can cause blockages, compromise drainage, and even clog up appliances like water heaters. Regular build-up can cause long-term damage to your pipes and faucets, so installing a hard water treatment system can help save a lot of money.

7. Dull and Damaged Hair 

Washing hair with hard water can damage it and make it appear dull. Mineral deposits will rob it of its shine and block moisture penetration, both of which can take a toll in the long term. Unfortunately, the problem can worsen with repeated washing and shampooing.

If you want to know more about hard water or have questions, don’t hesitate to contact us at Simple Water Softeners. You can call 210 960 2555 or use this contact us form.

If you want more information about Whole House Filtration System please call me at (210) 960-2555 or email us at lisa@simplewatersofteners.com.

Do some research and ask questions like, will this bring my water down below three grains of hardness?.  In San Antonio the average hardness is around 18 grains per gallon. It makes a mess of your house with the white film, dries your skin out, bad hair days and you cannot put enough of a product in dishwasher.

A water softener that uses salt truly softens the water, your water will go from 18 to around a 1. All the water inside the house is soft, only a tiny bit if any of the calcium is in the house, this is called an ion exchange unit. Yes, you carry the salt but you have soft water!!!. Only soft water comes into the house and the issues of hard water are gone.

A water conditioner adds chemicals to your water and changes the molecular structure of the water. It makes it to where it will not adhere to the pipes and plumbing. But if you have 18 grain hard water you will still have 18 grain hard water coming out of every faucet in the house. It will come out of the shower head, into the dishwasher, laundry everywhere, it does not soften the water. When 18 grain hard water dries it still makes a film your hair and skin still have the hard water.

Advertisements are done by professionals to attract you to their product, so make sure you research a little deeper get the truth before you get a water conditioner. We at Simple Water Softeners in San Antonio encourage the ion-exchange units for our area. We feel this gives our customer the results they are truly looking for a Simple Soft Water.

If you want more information about the difference between Water Softener and Water Conditioner please call me at (210) 960-2555 or email us at lisa@simplewatersofteners.com.